Filed under: Truck , Toyota , Off-Road Ford took everyone by surprised when it unveiled the F-150 SVT Raptor back in 2008, not only with the truck’s capability but by the fact that they had the guts to produce it at all. The success of the Raptor left other automakers scrambling to produce something similar, although everything yet has fallen short in one way or another. Chrysler unveiled the Ram Runner Concept at SEMA last year , although you have to build it yourself if you want one , and GM has merely teased the idea of producing the Sierra All Terrain HD Concept shown earlier this year. Now, Toyota is stepping up to the plate with the Tacoma TRD T|X Baja Series. Unveiled today at the Texas State Fair, this limited-edition truck takes inspiration from Toyota’s Baja racing history and features items like an electronically-controlled locking differential, TRD off-road package with Bilstein race shocks and an increased ride height of two inches, BF Goodrich T/A KO tires and bead-lock style wheels. Power comes from Toyota’s 4.0-liter V6 and both a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission are available. The TRD T|X Baja Series also benefits from changes made to the standard Tacoma for 2012, including a restyled front end with a new hood, grille, front bumper and headlights. The interior gets a new instrument panel, updated gauges, new steering wheel and more. You can read full details about both the standard Tacoma and the limited edition Baja Series in the press release after the jump . Continue reading Toyota unveils Tacoma TRD T|X Baja Series Limited Edition in Texas Toyota unveils Tacoma TRD T|X Baja Series Limited Edition in Texas originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 17:29:00 EST.

Filed under: Coupe , Performance , Toyota , Rumormill , Design/Style The rumormill is churning full blast at the thought of a resurrected Toyota Supra , and while we don’t have any more reliable information on whether or not Toyota will reintroduce the high-horsepower sports car, we have been treated to a rendering of what the vehicle might look like. Artist Andreas Fougner took the time to stretch his skills over the notion of a Supra successor, and the result is the machine you see above. Fougner says that he drew his inspiration from both current and vintage Toyota models, as well as other vehicles that have made the jump from past to present while skipping a generation or two. What’s under the hood? Fougner hasn’t bothered with specifics, though he did say that the modern Supra would need to be light and nimble, despite the vehicle’s portly past, and that it should come with a high-revving, naturally aspirated beating heart. Forced induction would also be acceptable. As for us, we wouldn’t mind seeing a torque-happy straight six under that long hood, so long as it puts power to the rear wheels via an honest-to-God manual gearbox. Should Toyota’s rumored Supra revival look like this? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

Filed under: Hybrid , Technology , Hatchback , Toyota , First Drives You Say You Want An Evolution? Here’s a game that the first people who buy the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid should play with their other Prius-driving friends: Let them slide behind the wheel and see if they can even tell that it isn’t a standard, third-generation Prius . Very few will be able to tell. That’s how subtle the changes are between the two vehicles, at least, to someone who isn’t looking too closely. After driving the corded Prius in California recently, we can confidently say that from both the outside and behind the wheel, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid looks, drives and feels pretty much like any other example of the world’s most popular hybrid. Of course, this Prius does receive some important advances – ones that hardcore fans will notice them right away – but it’s more than obvious that Toyota’s strategy with its new model is evolution, not revolution. The changes start with the plug-in’s new lithium-ion battery pack. Much smaller than the packs used in the two most popular plug-in vehicles on the market, the Prius Plug-in’s 176-pound, 4.4-kWh battery pack offers just enough juice, Toyota says, for an “electric-only driving range of up to 15 miles at a maximum speed of 62 mile-per-hour” (More on how this isn’t exactly true after the jump). Continue reading 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

Filed under: Truck , Marketing/Advertising , Toyota , Australia Top Gear showed us just how sturdy the Toyota Hilux pickup truck can be. The plucky Brit trio put one poor truck through a series of increasingly harder challenges until they finally strapped it to the roof of a building destined to be demolished. After pulling it off the pile of rubble that used to be an apartment building, the Hilux was eventually started up, and later driven into the Top Gear studio. Needless to say, this is one tough truck we’re talking about here. Toyota knows its latest Hilux is tough, too, and the automaker has decided to play up this angle for a new series of commercial spots running in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Seeking to show just how unbreakable and manly its pickup is, the machine is put through its paces over hill and dale, from the desert to the top of snow-capped mountains… and it meets some strange blokes along the way. It’s also so manly that it even makes dainty women into something barely removed from… well, her husband. Click past the jump to see for yourself.

NEW YORK (Sept. 13, 2011) — The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), a non-profit trade association, and Lexus once again challenged emerging designers to develop proposals for a sustainable clothing…

TORRANCE, Calif. (September 14, 2011) – Toyota recently launched the “Camry Effect,” an initiative to connect the nearly seven million Camry drivers in the United States through an interactive, online experience…